Jack Ryan on Civil Rights

Supports DOMA to counter the breakdown of the family unions

The breakdown of the family over the past 35 years is one of the root causes of some of our society's most intractable social problems-criminal activity, illegitimacy, and the cyclical nature of poverty.
As an elected leader, my interest will be in promoting laws and educating people about the fundamental importance of the traditional family unit as the nucleus of our society.

In the wake of the recent Massachusetts State Supreme Court ruling that has spawned similar lawsuits in other states, it seems likely that defending traditional marriage and codifying that defense will be required at the federal level.
As such, as a United States Senator, I would support legislation such as Senator Bill Frist's Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), provided the language remains clear in the defining of traditional marriage and protecting the traditional family unit.

Opposes same-sex marriages and opposes civil unions

I believe that marriage can only be defined as that union between one man and one woman. I am opposed to same-sex marriages, civil unions, and registries. I believe that we are all equal before God and should be before the law.
Homosexuals deserve the same constitutional protections, safeguards, and human dignity as every American, but they should not be entitled to special rights based on their sexual behavior.